Method of and means for sealing locks



(Mo-del 2 Sheets- -Sheet 1.

0. HOPKINS. METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEALING LOCKS.

No. 442,049. Patented Dec. 2, 1890.

(Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2,

10. B. HOPKINS. METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEALING LOCKS.

No..442,049.' Patented Dec. 2, 1890".

ma NORRIS PZTEHS co., wurmwuo msumcmu, n. c.

, UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JABEL B. HOPKINS, OF LOUISVILLE, KEN"UCKY.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEALING LOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 442,049, dated December 2, 1890.

Application filed September 16, 1889. Serial No. 323,989. (ModelJ To aZZ whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, OABEL B. HOPKINS, of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson, and in the State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Means for Sealin g Locks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of my lock-sealing device as in position when sealing a lock; Fig. 2, a similar view of the seat ing device as open, so as to permit the keyhole of the lock to be reached; Fig. 3, a view of a section on line as a: of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a view of a similar section on line y 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5, a perspective view showing one of the seals as used with my device.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

' The object of my invention is to provide an improved method of and means for sealing looks, so that the latter cannot be opened or tampered with without the opening or tampering being detected by the one placing the seal and setting the sealing device.

In my method and means for sealing I take advantage of the impossibility of exactly duplicating a piece of paper as torn from a sheet, so that the duplicate will fit the place in the original sheet from which the first or original piece Was taken.

On account of the impossibility of reproducing all the peculiarities of the torn edges of a piece or slip of paper, I have found that a seal made of such piece or slip can always be identified by the one holding the sheet from which it was torn, and the substitution of any other piece can be detected at once by him upon comparing its edges with those of said sheet.

In making use of the paper seal I preferably employ a cover or guard for the key-hole of the lock to be sealed, which will receive and hold one of the seals, so that said cover or guard cannot itself be unlocked or moved so as to uncover the key-hole without a puncturing or defacing of the seal.

If desired, the piece of paper forming the seal can be clamped or otherwise fastened directly over the key-hole of the look, so that the key in order to reach and operate the lock must be thrust through or mark the paper. The key-hole-guard form of sealing device I find, however, to be preferable for several reasons, and especially because itcan be applied, as desired, to any keyhole without necessitating any change in construction of the lock or key-hole plate.

In the drawings my sealing device is shown as applied to the lock on the casing of a cash registering and indicatingapparatus, in order to prevent undetected access of unauthorized persons to the cash-registering mechanism. While said device is intended especially for this purpose, it is obviously equally applicable to the sealing of many other kinds of locks, catches, bolts, or turn buttons, and other fastenings.

In the drawings, A designates the casing, to which is secured the lock B, which it is desired to seal. Such lock can be of any desired form or construction without necessitating any essential departure from my invention in sealing it. Attached to the casing near the key-hole or portion of the lock which the key is to enter is a plate C, fastened in place by screws 0 c or other fastening means. Supported from this plate by suitable posts or distance-pieces c c is the plate G, upon or against the outer face of which the paper seal D is to be clamped or held. Suitably guided between the two plates O G is the spring-latch bolt E, having the usual beveled locking end e. A stem e on the bolt passes through a guide-opening e in one of the posts or distance-pieces supporting plate C. Surrounding this stem and hearing at one end against said post or distance-piece and at the other against a shoulder on the bolt is the spiral spring 6 forcing the bolt out into locking position. he locking end of the bolt is preferably toward the end of the plate O nearest to the key-hole or part of the lock to be sealed. As shown, the bolt is provided with a notch 6 adapted to be engaged by a key F, which can be inserted only through the keyhole F in the plate 0.

While the bolt is shown as having a notch to be engaged by an arm on the key passed in through hole F and turned, I do not limit myself to such construction, but can have the bolt provided with a simple shoulder to be struck by the key-arm; or, without departure from my invention, the bolt can be arranged and constructed so as to be tripped or unlocked by any desired form of pin or other device to be passed or thrust inward through a suitably-shaped hole in plate 0.

Of whatever construction the bolt or bolttripping device may be, said bolt should be so arranged that it cannot be unlocked or tripped,except by some means passed through the plate-hole F. On plate C near said hole is a lip or short arm 0", extending over and close to the upper surface of the plate. Under this lip or arm is to be inserted one edge of the piece of paper D to be used as a seal.

Hinged to the bed-plate 0, preferably at its outer end farthest from the key-hole or part of the lock B to be sealed, is the swinging plate G, adapted when swung down toward plate 0' to cover said plate and project beyond it and over the key-hole or part of the lock to be sealed. Extending along the two sides and outer end of the plate G on the inner side thereof is a flange or rib g, adapted to come in close contact with the casing A when the plate is swung inward. Said flange then inoloses the two sides of plate 0 and a space around outside of the key-hole or keyreceiving part of lock B, so that neither such lock nor the bolt E can be reached from under the sides or end of the swinging plate. As shown in the drawings, the latter plate is hinged to an upright rib or flange c on plate C, which will close the outer end of the space between the two plates 0 and G; but I do not limit myself to such construction. Instead either of the plates can be provided with a rib, plate, or bar suitably situated at any point where it can serve to p event access to the bolt or latch E from under the outer end of said plate G. On the inner side of plate G is a projecting hasp or lug adapted to engage the end of bolt E, so as to hold the plate as swung inward to cover the key-hole or keyreceiving portion of the lock to be sealed, as hereinbefore indicated.

On plate 0 is a spring-arm 0 adapted to engage and press outward upon the inner face of swinging plate G. In said plate G there is a hole G to correspond with the' key or bolt-moving device, admitting hole F in plate C.

If desired, I contemplate providing one of the plates 0 and G with small studs, pins, or projections, and the other with correspond ingly-situated depressions, so that when plate G is swung down or into its lock-sealing position the projections may engage and hold the paper seal securely at several points.

In the drawings, the posts or distance-pieces c c are shown as extending a short distance above the outer surface of plate 0, so that they can be used for the same purpose as the projections above described.

In the inner face of plate G are shallow depressions g g, corresponding in their relative positions with the ends of said posts.

The key F, or other device to be used for engaging and tripping the locking-bolt E, is preferably provided, as shown, with a pointed end to puncture and' easily pass through the paper seal.

In sealing a lock in accordance with my invention a piece of paper of the desired size is torn from a sheet or strip and placed upon plate 0, so as to cover the key-admitting hole F therein. One edge of the piece is inserted under the lip or lug The plate or swinging cover G is then swung shut, so as to be fastened by the spring-bolt E engaging its hasp or ing. The piece of paper forming the seal is now held between the two plates C and G, so as to cover the key-opening F. The belt or latch cannot. then be reached or tripped so as to unlock the plate, except by a suitable key or other device passed through the piece of paper. As long as the piece of paper remains untorn or unruptured it can be considered certain that the plate has not been unlatched, and consequently the lock has not been reached or tampered with. Obviously any puncture or injury of the seal will indicate at once an attempt to unseal the look. It is not possible for any one to unseal and tamper with the lock and conceal the fact of the tampering from the one holding the sheet or strip from which the paper seal was torn. The punctured seal cannot, of course, be used again as a seal without detection, nor can another piece of paper be produced and substituted for the first which shall have all the peculiarities of shape and appearance along its torn edges which the first had, and will fit exactly the place in the original sheet from which the seal Was torn.

My sealing device, as shown and described, is simple, inexpensive, and applicable to various kinds of locks, and is sure and efficient in its action, while the seal used is cheaper, more convenient to obtain and use than wax or leaden seals, and cannot be counterfeited or duplicated so as to mislead the one making and applying it. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is I 1. As an improvement in the art of sealing, the method of -making certain of the genuineness of the seal at any time, which consists in making the seal of a piece of paper torn from a sheet or strip so as to leave an irregular edge, and retaining the sheet or strip from which the piece was torn, so that the edges of the strip and piece can be compared, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The method of sealing locks, which consists in securing so that it will have to be punctured or defaced before the lock can be reached a seal formed of a piece of paper torn from a strip or sheet so as to have an irregular edge which willfit or match only the edge of the strip from which it was torn, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The method of sealing locks, which 'consists in providing a covering device adapted to be looked over the key-hole or other part IIO of the look to be protected, securing so that the covering device cannot be unlocked with out puncturing or defacing it a seal formed of a piece of paper torn from a sheet or strip so as to have an irregular torn edge adapted to match or fit only the edge of the strip or sheet from which the seal was torn, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a device for sealing locks, in combination with a suitable guard-plate for covering the key-hole of the lock, means for fastening this plate in position and means for receiving and holding a seal so that the latter must be defaced or destroyed before the plate can be unfastened, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a device for sealing locks, in combination with a suitable bed-plate adapted to be fastened near the lock to be sealed, a movable cover to extend over the key-hole or other part of the lock to be concealed, a latch fastening the cover down in position, adapted to be tripped by a suitable key, and a seal held across the path of the key to the latch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

0. In a device for sealing locks, in combination with the bed-plate, the latch supported thereon, the plate covering such latch, provided with an opening to allow access to the latch, and the hinged plate adapted to cover the latch-covering plate and the key-hole of the lock to be sealed and provided with a hasp or lug to be engaged by the latch and an opening to correspond in position with that in the latch-coverin g plate, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

7. In a lock-sealing device, in combination with the bed or attaching-plate, the latch and the seal-receiving plate over such latch, provided with an opening to allow access to the latch, a lip on such plate to engage a seal placed thereon over the opening therein, and the keyhole-covering plate adapted to cover the seal-receiving plate and hold the seal thereon, provided with a hasp or lug to be engaged by the latch and with an opening corresponding in position with that in the sealplate, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

8. In combination with the bed-plate and the fixed seal-recei vin g plate thereon provided with an opening and also a spring-arm, a spring-latch adapted to be tripped bya suitable key passed through the plate-opening, and the swinging plate adapted to cover the key-hole or other part of the lock to be 0011- cealed and also to cover and hold a seal placed on the seal-receiving plate, such swinging plate being adapted to be locked by the latch and having an opening corresponding in position with that in the seal-plate, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. In a lock-sealing device, in combination with the bed-plate, the seal-receiving plate thereon provided with an opening and the latch below such seal-plate, the plate hinged to the bed-plate, provided with the flange around its end and two sides, a hasp or lug to be engaged by the latch, and an opening to correspond with that in the seal-receiving plate, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of September, 1889.

GABEL B. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

C. 1-1. GIBSON, WM. '1. HALE, 

